Every Spring and Fall (and sometimes early summer!), Apple releases new watch bands for the Apple Watch. Watch band collectors like myself and Rene get pretty excited whenever Apple gives us more colors. Plus, retired colors become collectors items. Here's everything you need to know about bands available for your Apple Watch!
What's new with Apple Watch bands?
The Sport loop is the newest of new to come to Apple Watch bands, but there will also be new Hermes and ceramic watch color options to match your watch face like a gold aluminum finish, silver, and space gray.
When will I be able to strap a new band around my wrist?
Apple's latest watch bands launched on September 19.
Will the new bands fit Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Watches?
The Apple Watch Series 3 is the same size as the Apple Watch Series 2, so you shouldn't have an issue with the band sized.
What's so exciting about new bands?
SO SKEPTICAL! In all seriousness, though, they're a fun way to spruce up your watch-wearing experience, and a weird (but fun) collection item. Apple tends to release new collections every Fall and Spring, coinciding with the fashion industry's own collection releases, and new bands tend to adopt similar color schemes from the industry's lineup.
Tell me about the Nike Sport bands! Is it true I can get them without buying a Sport watch now?
Yup! The Nike Sport bands are now available for any Apple Watch-wearer if you have $49 and a hankering for them. You can get them for either the 38mm or 42mm sizes. Apple has reduced the number of available colors to just a few.
- Pure Platinum/Black
- Obsidian/Black
- Anthracite/Black,
- Pure Platinum/White, or
- Volt/Black
Interesting to note: If you're buying a new Nike Sport Watch and band combo, you can now only get the Anthracite/Black or Pure Platinum/White band options paired with the watch — the Volt/Black option (AKA the neon green look) is now only available for standalone purchase.
Why would I want the Nike Sport band?
It depends on your preference, of course, but the Nike Sport band is superior to Apple's traditional Sport band for runners and other heavy exercisers thanks to its perforated fluoroelastomer design. The perforations help air your wrist out in a way the traditional Sport band can't, giving you a lighter and more breathable wear.
What about the regular Sport band? Any new colors there?
Yes indeed. New colors include Rose Red, Dark Olive, and Blue Cobalt. Along with these entries, a number of older Sport bands have been retired; the current collection now looks as follows:
- Rose Red
- Blue Cobalt
- Ultra Violet
- Dark Olive
- Soft White
- Gray
- Fog
- Pink Sand
- Midnight Blue
- Black
- White
- Product Red
There are new Woven Nylon bands, too?
Yes, and they're fun as fun can be: The new Woven Nylon models are largely tri-tone striped bands, and should look fantastic on the wrist. They include:
- Dark Olive Check
- Midnight Blue Check
- White Check
- Spicy Orange Check
- Berry Check
- Black Check
- White Stripe
- Midnight Blue Stripe
- Black Stripe
The only existing woven nylon bands that still remain from the original collection are the Pearl and Black bands
What are those Sport Loop bands?
Apple has introduced a new type of nylon band to its watch lineup with the Sport Loop, which is meant to be easy to put on and fastens with a velcro-like hook-and-loop fastener. The Sport Loop comes in a nice array of colors.
- Flash
- Spicy Orange
- Electric Pink
- Midnight Blue
- Black
- Seashell
- Dark Olive
- Pink Sand
What about the Classic Buckle?
Apple retired a couple of colors and added a couple new ones.
- Cosmic Blue
- Pink Fuchsia
- Dark Aubergine
- Saddle Brown
- Black
- Ruby (PRODUCT)RED
The old colors and Classic Buckle design have been officially retired; if you have a curved rectangular Classic Buckle, congratulations — you now have a relic of the past.
Anything new for the other leather bands?
Like the other band collections, the other leather bands have had their options dramatically reduced: You can now only get the 42mm-only Leather Loop in Cosmic Blue and Charcoal Gray, while the 38mm Modern Buckle has been reduced to Midnight Blue.
What about the Hermès bands?
Apple didn't add any new colors to the Hermès lineup, but it did get rid of a few of the OG colors. Here's what's available right now.
- Bordeaux Swift Leather Double Tour (38mm only)
- Bordeaux Swift Leather Single Tour
- Fauve Barenia Leather Double Tour (38mm only)
- Fauve Barenia Leather Single Tour
- Etoupe Swift Leather Double Tour (38mm only)
- Etoupe Swift Leather Single Tour
- Feu Epsom Leather Single Tour (42mm only)
Anything new for the stainless steel bands?
Nope. You can still pick up the Milanese Loop and the Link Bracelet in Silver and Space Black, but there are no new colors or styles there.
Any new hardware casings for Apple Watch?
Not this time around. If you want to buy a new Apple Watch, you have the following options:
- Silver
- Gold
- Space Grey
- Rose Gold
- Stainless Steel
- Ceramic
Apple offers a number of pre-packaged watch and band collections for the Apple Watch Series 3. When you buy a new Apple Watch, you can get it with these specific band choices:
- Silver Aluminum Case with Fog Sport Band
- Gold Aluminum Case with Pink Sand Sport Band
- Space Gray Aluminum Case with Gray Sport Band
- Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band
- Silver Aluminum Case Cellular with Fog Sport Band
- Gold Aluminum Case Cellular with Pink Sand Sport Band
- Space Gray Aluminum Case Cellular with Gray Sport Band
- Space Gray Aluminum Case Cellular with Black Sport Band
- Silver Aluminum Case Cellular with Seashell Sport Loop
- Gold Aluminum Case Cellular with Pink Sand Sport Loop
- Space Gray Aluminum Case Cellular with Dark Olive Sport Loop
- Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Soft White Sport Band
- Space Black Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Black Sport Band
- Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Milanese Loop
- Space Black Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Milanese Loop
- Apple Watch Nike+ Silver Aluminum Case with Pure Platinum/Black Nike Sport Band
- Apple Watch Nike+ Space Gray Case with Anthracite/Black Nike Sport Band
- Apple Watch Nike+ Silver Aluminum Case Cellular with Pure Platinum/Black Nike Sport Band
- Apple Watch Nike+ Space Gray Case Cellular with Anthracite/Black Nike Sport Band
- Apple Watch Nike+ Silver Aluminum Case Cellular with Bright Crimson/Black Nike Sport Loop
- Apple Watch Nike+ Space Gray Case Cellular with Anthracite/Black Nike Sport Loop
- Apple Watch Hermès Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Noir Gala Leather Single Tour Rallye (42mm only)
- Apple Watch Hermès Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Marine Gala Leather Single Tour Eperon d'Or
- Apple Watch Hermès Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Indigo Swift Leather Double Tour (38mm only)
- Apple Watch Hermès Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Fauve Barenia Leather Double Tour (38mm only)
- Apple Watch Hermès Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Indigo Swift Leather Single Tour (42mm only)
- Apple Watch Hermès Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Fauve Barenia Leather Single Tour
- Apple Watch Hermès Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Ébène Barenia Leather Single Tour Deployment Buckle (42mm only)
- Apple Watch Hermès Stainless Steel Case Cellular with Fauve Barenia Leather Single Tour Deployment Buckle (42mm only)
How can I preview how these bands will look?
If you can't get down to an Apple Store to see the bands in person, you can visit Apple's interactive watch gallery, which lets you preview cases and faces with the entire band collection.
Will the new bands fit both the Series 1 and Series 3 Apple Watches?
Absolutely! Every Apple Watch and band has the same clasp and connection design. Fun fact: The 38mm bands will fit a 42mm Apple Watch (and vice versa), but they won't look particularly great if you do so.
What do I do if I really want a band Apple doesn't make anymore?
Right now, your best bet is to check Ebay or Etsy. You can also check out [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com?tag=imoreb-20&ascsubtag=UUimUdUnU39609's many knockoff bands — they're not directly from Apple, but they still look great.
○ How to get the Apple Watch Sport Band look for less
○ How to get the Apple Watch Nike+ Sport Band look for less!
○ How to get the Apple Watch Woven Nylon band look for less
○ How to get the Apple Watch Modern Buckle look for less
○ How to get the Hermès Single Tour look for less
○ How to get the Apple Watch Hermès Double Tour look for less
○ How to get Apple Watch Hermès Cuff Band look for less
○ How to get the Apple Watch Milanese loop look for less
○ How To Get the Apple Link Bracelet Look for Less
Questions?
Other questions about the new Apple Watch bands? Let us know below!
Update October, 2017: Added the new bands for fall 2017 and removed older ones that have been discontinued.
